Abstract:

The immigration of the Muslims of al-Andalus (Mudejares, Moriscos) caused Tunis to experience a virtual revolution as regards society, culture, economy, agriculture, art and science. Many cities and palaces were rebuilt in an Andalusian architectural style previously unseen in North Africa, the madrasas taught Andalusian science, irrigation came to be used in agriculture, many originally American plants such as maize and tomatoes came to be cultivated, and Tunis became the intellectual and scientific capital of North Africa. If it had not been for the immigrants from al-Andalus Tunis would have continued for centuries as a “bedouin” society. As a matter of fact a Tunesian poet indicated how important the immigrants were for the welfare of Tunis when he said: “With you each place you settle in is revived, you are like rain that falls on a waterless field! People see in you only good things because you are like the eye in the head of a man”. The Ottoman governors in Tunis had not encouraged and supported the immigrants from al-Andalus to the extent of giving them immunity from taxes and had allocated to lands for agricultural production and had been effective in re-sprouting science and knowledge of al-Andalus to take root in Tunis.

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